How to test for microplastics…

Written by: Bryan Johnson
Published on: October 23, 2024
How to test for microplastics…

How to test for microplastics…

Written by: Bryan Johnson
Published on: October 23, 2024

When I started doing Blueprint in 2021, measuring food and supplements for accuracy of label claims and toxins was a top priority. We needed to know for accuracy purposes, was I consuming what we thought? As you may guess, what we found was a sad reality of today’s food and supplement systems. 

Very few label claims are correct and our food system is toxic. It’s even worse than you think. Some companies are oblivious to these things because they don’t test. Others know and knowingly misrepresent. We learned to never believe anything companies say and to only trust lab reports. 

If you want to see what I’m talking about, we reviewed 10 top chocolate brands for heavy metals. Watch the video. You can’t unsee it. And neither can we.

After learning how dirty, toxic and misrepresented food and supplements are, we started sourcing our own ingredients and testing them ourselves. After all, I was trying to become the healthiest person on the planet and how could that happen unless we can get the exact amount of something and control the toxin load. 

We got really good at this process.

After Blueprint went viral, the most common comment we got was “I want to do this! But it’s too complicated. Make it easy.” I thought about this for a long time because I’d never imagined building a food and supplement company and I was busy building the world’s first mass market brain interface. 

But, as I had learned in optimizing my personal health, no one in the world had built an entire family of healthy and clean foods; enough to satisfy an entire day's calories and nutrition. This is what I wanted someone else to have done, but of course, you usually have to build what you want to exist in the world. 

Over the past year, I think we’ve built the cleanest and healthiest family of foods and supplements in the world. To make this more concrete, last month alone we spent over $50,000 testing foods for toxins and purity. That has to be unprecedented. 

I previously ate Blueprint because it was the most evidence based health protocol in the world. Now I eat Blueprint also because I’m terrified of the food system, don’t really trust anyone else, and know from seeing the reports that Blueprint is verifiably clean.

Our third-party labs conduct comprehensive analyses of ingredients and products to ensure potency and purity. These tests cover a wide range of components, including macronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and standardized botanicals. The labs also screen for potential contaminants such as GMOs, heavy metals, microorganisms, pathogens, pesticides, phthalates, and aflatoxins. Additionally, they check for the presence of allergens and perform other product-specific tests as needed. This thorough examination process helps maintain the quality and safety of our food and supplement products.

Finding the right suppliers and getting these systems in place has not been easy. For example, sometimes it took us over a year to find a supplier that would meet our standards. Sometimes vendors wouldn’t even consider working with us because of our required testing. Vendors' reluctance to embrace clean label initiatives often stems from the extra costs associated with testing for contaminants and sourcing healthier ingredients, which can impact profit margins. We select vendors who embrace these initiatives because transparency and health-conscious products benefit everyone involved.

It’s been a whoooooole thing. But we’ve been incredibly successful. Again, I think it is the best in the world. 

One thing we’ve wanted to test but haven’t been able to is microplastics. We called over 50 labs and only found one that has a very limited microplastics testing ability. Far short of what we actually need. So we’re kind of flying blind, like all 8 billion of us on earth, when it comes to microplastics. The world just hasn’t set up infrastructure to test microplastics at scale.

We are speaking with a few labs to see if we can stand up the infrastructure to make this happen. 

The challenge is that microplastics are everywhere. At the bottom of the ocean. On top of Mount Everest. In the rain. In our drinking water, clothes, mouthguards, skin care products and in our brains. 

Without having data, we don’t know where best to focus our personal efforts to reduce microplastic exposure. For example, does 50% of the microplastics in our body come from drinking water? Or plastic water bottles?  Or take out food?  Or are microplastics in clothing the worst offender? We are at the very beginning of understanding. 

We are transitioning to non-plastic packaging. In this process, we face challenges due to plastic's prevalence at every level of the global supply chain and a lack of clear alternatives. While sustainable options often mean shorter shelf-life and higher costs, we're committed to finding innovative packaging solutions that balance personal exposure, environmental concerns and are economically viable.

The good news is the industry is moving in this direction and several companies are working on new approaches. Know we’re just as eager to get rid of plastic as you are. In the meantime, I do feel comforted eating all of my Blueprint supplements and food that it’s already among the cleanest in the world. 

To take matters into our own hands, we are excited to announce the world’s first mass market microplastics test. It’s a finger prick test and tells you the kinds of microplastics circulating in your bloodstream and how you compare to others. Science begins with counting. 

With this data, we will work together as a community to see if we can make headway in learning together how we can reduce our microplastic load. We may find that drinking water is the worst offender and would help us concentrate our efforts. We may find certain therapies, such as donating plasma, are great in lowering concentrations. Science begins with counting and when we have the data, we can make systematic progress.

We’re trying to do three things for you:
1. Every calorie
2. Every test 
3. Every friend 

If you say yes to health, we want to provide you with everything you need for optimal nutrition. We want you to have the confidence that you’re getting the best in the world. We want you to have data on the health status of your body via blood work, microplastics, your speed of aging and your organ ages. We want you to have routine cancer screening via MRI and get biomarkers on your brain health plus other vital organs. We want you to get the same value as some of the most expensive executive longevity programs in the world ($50,000-$150,000) at a fraction of the cost. That’s what we’ve built for you. 

Note that we’ve only been at this for a year. What we’ve accomplished in this time is staggering. The Blueprint team and I consume everything you do. We are with you on this journey. One step at a time we will get ourselves ever closer to Don’t Die.

Wishing you the best.

Bryan 

Disclaimer: this blog is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical advice or professional services. The information provided should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, and those seeking personal medical advice should consult with a licensed physician.